SCP: Secret Laboratory is a free multiplayer horror game set inside a Foundation site during a full containment breach. Each round assigns your role at random: Class-D trying to escape, a Scientist waiting on rescue, a Facility Guard, or one of the anomalies hunting everybody else. Death is permanent for that round, and the facility runs on hard timers that will kill you whether or not anything else does.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Light Containment Zone | Role assignment and respawn waves basics | Scientist | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Heavy Containment Zone | Keycard access levels mastery | Scientist | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Entrance Zone | SCP-914 refinement + gear | Class-D Personnel or Scientist | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Surface Zone | Build optimization | Class-D Personnel | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Pocket Dimension | Min-max | Class-D Personnel or Chaos Insurgency | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Light Containment Zone)
Class-D cells, SCP-914, SCP-173's chamber and the airlocks. Busiest area of the round for eleven minutes, and lethal ground after that.
Level/Difficulty: First 11 minutes 45 seconds of the round Key Rewards: SCP-914 refinement, low tier keycards, starting medkits
What to Do in Light Containment Zone
- Learn Role assignment and respawn waves. You spawn as Class-D, a Scientist, a Facility Guard or an SCP with no say in the matter. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Scientist as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Decontamination begins at 11 minutes 45 seconds, earlier than the fifteen minute figure players quote. Start your own clock at round start and be out of Light Containment with a full minute in hand.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: FSP-9 or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Role assignment and respawn waves fundamentals
- Scientist selected and functional
- Light Containment Zone main content cleared
- Ready for Heavy Containment Zone
Phase 2: Early Game (Heavy Containment Zone)
Three Emergency Power Stations, SCP-079's server room, SCP-106's chamber and the route toward the warhead. Most SCP fights happen down here.
Level/Difficulty: Mid round, after decontamination begins Key Rewards: Generator activation, higher tier keycards, Micro H.I.D.
What to Do in Heavy Containment Zone
- Work on Keycard access levels. Doors and lockers are gated by keycard permissions, running from low tier Janitor and Scientist cards up to O5. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for FSP-9 if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- SCP-173 is frozen while any living player has it in view, so a group should have one person walking backwards watching it while everyone else moves. The moment all of them turn to run at once, the group dies.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Entrance Zone.
- Consider whether Class-D Personnel might suit your playstyle better than Scientist.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Keycard access levels integrated into gameplay
- FSP-9 acquired
- Heavy Containment Zone fully cleared
- Ready for Entrance Zone
Phase 3: Mid Game (Entrance Zone)
Offices, checkpoints and the road to the Surface. Nine-Tailed Fox arrive through here, which makes it the main human against human battleground.
Level/Difficulty: Mid to late round Key Rewards: Escape route, weapon lockers, checkpoint control
What to Do in Entrance Zone
- Master SCP-914 refinement. The clockwork machine in Light Containment has five settings: Rough, Coarse, 1:1, Fine and Very Fine. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward COM-15. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- On SCP-914, 1:1 never destroys an item and recharges radios and the Micro H.I.D. Fine upgrades with a chance at a better keycard, and Very Fine upgrades faster but can delete the item entirely.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Light Containment decontamination for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- SCP-914 refinement mastered
- COM-15 acquired or in progress
- Entrance Zone fully cleared
- Ready for Surface Zone
Phase 4: Late Game (Surface Zone)
The escape point for Class-D and Scientists alike, and where both respawn teams arrive. Escaping as Class-D turns you into Chaos Insurgency, and escaping as a Scientist turns you into Nine-Tailed Fox.
Level/Difficulty: Late round Key Rewards: Escape, role conversion, Alpha Warhead controls
What to Do in Surface Zone
- Finalize your build. You should be running Class-D Personnel or Scientist with optimized gear.
- COM-15 should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Class-D spawn with nothing while Scientists spawn with a Level 2 keycard and a medkit, which is exactly why Class-D groups hunt Scientists first. As a Scientist, avoid the cell block and head for Entrance Zone.
- Emergency Power Stations and the Alpha Warhead optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Pocket Dimension.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- COM-15 upgraded to max
- Surface Zone fully cleared
- Ready for Pocket Dimension
Phase 5: Endgame (Pocket Dimension)
Where SCP-106 drags its victims. There are real exits and there are lethal ones, so the answer is to keep moving and read the tunnels rather than freeze in place.
Level/Difficulty: Any time SCP-106 is loose Key Rewards: Survival, a return trip into the facility
What to Do in Pocket Dimension
- Pocket Dimension tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- The three Emergency Power Stations in Heavy Containment re-contain SCP-079 once all of them are running. Each takes time and makes noise, so start one only with somebody watching the corridor behind you.
- The endgame loop: run Pocket Dimension, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Chaos Insurgency for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Emergency Power Stations and the Alpha Warhead mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Pocket Dimension fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Staying in Light Containment past the decontamination announcement to finish one more SCP-914 run
- Splitting the Nine-Tailed Fox squad to clear rooms faster, then losing four players one at a time
- Sprinting past SCP-173 with your back turned instead of walking backwards while watching it
- Arming the Alpha Warhead while half your own team is still down in Heavy Containment
- Looking directly at SCP-096's face and then trying to hide, when it will hunt you across the whole facility
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Decontamination begins at 11 minutes 45 seconds, earlier than the fifteen minute figure players quote. Start your own clock at round start and be out of Light Containment with a full minute in hand.
- SCP-173 is frozen while any living player has it in view, so a group should have one person walking backwards watching it while everyone else moves. The moment all of them turn to run at once, the group dies.
- On SCP-914, 1:1 never destroys an item and recharges radios and the Micro H.I.D. Fine upgrades with a chance at a better keycard, and Very Fine upgrades faster but can delete the item entirely.
- Class-D spawn with nothing while Scientists spawn with a Level 2 keycard and a medkit, which is exactly why Class-D groups hunt Scientists first. As a Scientist, avoid the cell block and head for Entrance Zone.
- The three Emergency Power Stations in Heavy Containment re-contain SCP-079 once all of them are running. Each takes time and makes noise, so start one only with somebody watching the corridor behind you.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More SCP: Secret Laboratory Guides
- SCP: Secret Laboratory SCP: Secret Laboratory Overview
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Best Builds
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Tier List
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Beginner's Guide
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Tips & Tricks
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Weapons Guide
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Combat Guide
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Boss Guide
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Maps & Locations
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Crafting Guide
- SCP: Secret Laboratory Classes & Characters
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